Building Stronger Communities for All
Community Commitment Report – Fargo Region
introduction
Letter from Tiffany Lawrence, Sanford Health Fargo President and CEO
A
At Sanford Health, we are committed to improving the health of the communities we serve across North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.
Since our merger with MeritCare in 2009, we’ve been hard at work bringing this commitment to life, introducing several first and only innovative services to our region and pursuing the highest level of quality and certifications possible across numerous specialties. Today, we proudly operate as North Dakota’s only Level I Adult Trauma Center, Level II Pediatric Trauma Center, Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, Level IV neonatal intensive care unit and more. These services save patients travel time and money and, most importantly, allow them to recover closer to home, surrounded by their loved ones.
While our advancements in care have been transformational, we understand that the health of our communities relies on more than the services provided within our facility walls. That’s why we have established a multifaceted approach to extend our reach and address social determinants of health outside traditional clinic and hospital settings. Some examples of these endeavors include providing essential items and prepackaged meals to families in need and offering care in local homeless shelters and nursing homes.
introduction
Sincerely,
Tiffany Lawrence President and CEO Sanford Health, Fargo Region
To illustrate the impact of our efforts, I am pleased to present Sanford Health’s Fargo Region Community Commitment Report. As you continue reading, please know this report reflects the hard work of our dedicated employees and community partners.
I am incredibly proud to work alongside these individuals and hope you enjoy learning more about their remarkable, transformative work in the following pages.
OUR COMMITMENT
Since 2009, Sanford Health has increased access to state-of-the-art, quality care for patients across the state of North Dakota and the upper Midwest. As a result, Sanford Health is now the region’s leading health care provider and North Dakota’s largest employer – home to over 10,200 employees. The organization serves two major geographical areas, the Fargo-Moorhead metro and its surrounding rural communities, formally referred to by the organization as the North Network. In the North Network, Sanford provides care at clinics in more than 30 towns across the region and operates critical access hospitals (CAHs) in Mayville and Hillsboro, North Dakota, and Thief River Falls and Wheaton, Minnesota. Sanford also assists eight additional CAHs located in the North Network through management support and access to services, such as electronic medical record software. Within the metro area, there are several primary care and specialty clinics, as well as three acute care campuses – Sanford Medical Center Fargo, Sanford Broadway Medical Center and Sanford South University Medical Center. Together, these facilities house 764 beds, ensuring Sanford can provide care to the Fargo region and beyond.
In 2022, Sanford Health invested over $257 million in communities in the Fargo region to provide essential services and programs to improve access to care and positively impact health and well-being. The organization also provided financial aid to over 18,000 patients.
Regional Numbers
Medical centers: 5
Surgical centers: 2
Clinic locations: 50
Outreach clinic locations: 28
Key Recognitions:
• American College of Surgeons: Level I Adult Trauma Center – Sanford Medical Center Fargo (SMCF)
• American College of Surgeons: Level II Pediatric Trauma Center – Sanford Children’s Hospital Fargo
• 2023 Vizient Rising Star Award – SMCF
• The Joint Commission: Gold Seal of Approval for hospital, behavioral health care, home care, hip fracture and total hip, knee and shoulder replacement
• The Joint Commission: Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center – SMCF
• U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospital in North Dakota” since 2020 – SMCF
• Infectious Diseases Society of America: Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence – SMCF
• Becker’s Healthcare “Top 70 hospitals and health systems with spine and neuroscience programs to know 2023” – Sanford Brain & Spine Center Fargo
• Becker’s Healthcare “Top 100 hospitals and health systems with great oncology programs 2023” – Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center (RMCC)
• Only blood and bone marrow transplant program in the upper Midwest – RMCC
• Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services – Sanford Ambulance in Fargo
RURAL CARE CHALLENGES
People living in rural America face unique challenges. They are more likely to have fewer resources to access care and to experience higher rates of poverty, food or housing insecurity, and chronic disease, which often lead to poorer health outcomes. At Sanford Health, two-thirds of our patients live in rural areas. That’s why our care extends beyond our medical centers and clinics. We are active in the communities we serve and invest substantial resources to drive more opportunities and better health for all.
COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Every three years, Sanford Health conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to learn more about the health and well-being of the populations we serve. The most recent CHNA survey published in 2022 found challenges related to health care access, physical activity, nutrition, mental health and substance abuse. Since the findings were published, Sanford Health has implemented several strategies and programs to help address these concerns in the Fargo region.
CARE FOR ALL
Sanford Health is proud to provide care to anyone who comes to us in need. As a nonprofit organization, we provide a robust community care program to help our patients who are uninsured or experiencing financial hardship access care.
Sanford Health’s financial assistance program provides discounted and free services to all patients who qualify. Over 90% of patients who request financial assistance receive it.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Sanford Health offers financial assistance for patients who demonstrate financial need and require medically necessary services or emergency care. This assistance can range from a balance reduction to complete forgiveness.
We also have patient advocates and financial counselors to assist patients on-site. In addition, as part of our presumptive community care policy, we proactively evaluate some of the patient’s demographic information and other factors to determine if they might need financial assistance.
CONNECTING PATIENTS WITH COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Sanford Health has a database that helps patients find and access community resources . The website sanford.findhelp.com compiles information to help address basic needs such as housing, food, transportation and child care. After entering their zip code, a patient can see free or reduced-cost programs nearby. This resource is available to anyone in need. Clinicians and nurses can also navigate the site on behalf of a patient.
PROVIDING
NEEDED
AID TO PATIENTS LOCALLY
Sanford Health helps patients in need through the Providing Needed Aid to Patients Locally (PNAPL) Foundation Fund. The fund aims to help patients experiencing financial hardships meet their basic needs when no other funding or charitable options are available. Funding is used to help establish patient self-management and access to necessary items to streamline a plan of care.
FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY FUND
Through the Friends of the Family Fund, our patients receive assistance, including food vouchers, lodging cards, gas cards and more, for essential items. Patients receive access to this fund through help from our social workers. The fund is made possible thanks to generous donations to the Sanford Health Foundation.
PRESCRIPTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Sanford Health’s prescription assistance program offers tiered assistance based on income level to help patients afford their medication. If a patient indicates they can’t afford their medication, clinicians can presumptively qualify them. Patients who meet program guidelines are eligible for six months of prescription assistance.
In 2023, Sanford Health provided nearly $500,000 in prescription assistance to patients in the Fargo region.
EXPANDED ACCESS
Across the Fargo region, Sanford Health is committed to ensuring our patients have access to the latest advancements in high-quality care.
EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
Sanford Health is uniquely positioned to provide comprehensive pre-hospital care. Our network of ground and air ambulances covering eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota allows us to respond to emergencies in rural, sparsely populated areas and transfer patients from other hospitals to the metro area for lifesaving critical care. Having these services readily available in small towns can make the difference for patients when minutes count.
TRAUMA CARE
Sanford Medical Center Fargo is the state’s only Level I Adult Trauma Center and Sanford Children’s Hospital Fargo is the state’s only Level II Pediatric Trauma Center, providing our patients with access to the highest levels of expert trauma care close to home. In 2023, Sanford Medical Center Fargo provided trauma care to over 2,530 patients, a 57% increase since first earning the Level I Adult Trauma Center verification from the American College of Surgeons in 2018. This growth demonstrates the immense need for advanced services in our region.
STROKE
Sanford Medical Center Fargo has been certified as an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission since 2017. This means our team provides 24/7 access to the highest level of neuro-critical and intensive care in the state. In addition, our patients have access to the only brain injury rehabilitation program in the state accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
CHILDREN’S SPECIALTY CARE
Sanford Children’s Hospital Fargo is the most advanced children’s hospital and the only member of the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) in North Dakota. The cutting-edge facility offers access to the latest technology and allows kids to have fun while receiving treatment – thanks to child life specialists, the Cully’s Cabin play area, music therapy and more.
The children’s hospital is also home to North Dakota’s only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), providing the highest level of care possible for infants. In 2023, the hospital launched its micro-preemie program , offering even more specialized care for infants born before 28 weeks gestation. Beyond these services, Sanford Fargo is home to the state’s only pediatric feeding disorders clinic, full-spectrum pediatric dialysis clinic and multi-disciplinary immunodeficiency clinic that allows for patients to see all their specialty providers in one appointment and receive a comprehensive care plan.
As the sole provider of many pediatric services in North Dakota, Sanford Health in Fargo had the privilege of providing inpatient and outpatient care to 24,368 children in 2023.
CANCER CARE
The Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center (RMCC) in Fargo has brought advanced cancer treatments and technology closer to home for patients across the region. One of these advancements is the addition of high-dose brachytherapy, which offers fewer side effects and precise tumor targeting. RMCC patients also benefit from Varian linear accelerators, which can reduce the number of treatments they need to fewer than five. Another notable offering is the blood and bone marrow transplant program that launched in 2021. This is the only program of its kind available in North Dakota and the upper Midwest and allows patients to receive their weeks or months of treatment for blood disorders and cancers close to home.
In addition, Sanford Health provides oncology outreach to Jamestown Regional Medical Center and partnered with Perham Health to open the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center Perham in Perham, Minnesota, in 2022 with two infusion chairs. Due to an increasing demand for care in the Perham community, we expanded our site there in fall 2023 to have seven infusion chairs and an additional cancer care provider.
On average, the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center in Fargo welcomes 600 patients each day.
VACCINATION POP-UP CLINICS
In 2023, Sanford Health and The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society were awarded a grant from USAging to provide 22,000 COVID-19 or influenza vaccinations for adults ages 60 or older or to those with disabilities at vaccination pop-up clinics in South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. In the Fargo region, the funds helped provide vaccinations at Moorhead Public Library with the help of LPN students in training from Minnesota State Community and Technical College.
VIRTUAL CARE SATELLITE CLINIC
In 2023, Sanford Health opened the organization’s first virtual care satellite clinic in Lidgerwood, North Dakota. This care delivery model provides greater convenience with expanded clinic hours and services by allowing patients to connect with a provider virtually for primary care services, follow-up appointments, urgent care and specialty consultations.
3D MAMMOGRAMS
Sanford Health has added 3D mammography systems to several clinics in the Fargo region and the organization even operates a 3D mobile mammography unit. Mobile mammogram appointments offer convenience and the same experience as traditional in-office appointments, ensuring patients can access advanced diagnostic services, regardless of their zip code.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
The future health of our communities rests on our ability to attract and develop highly trained clinicians and employees. Sanford Health has prioritized breakthrough initiatives to support the workforce we need today and know we will need tomorrow.
TRAINING SITE FOR STUDENTS
Sanford Medical Center Fargo is the largest teaching hospital in North Dakota, providing clinical training for hundreds of students and medical residents in numerous health care and non-health care fields of study.
In partnership with the University of North Dakota, Sanford Health offers nine residency programs –adult psychiatry, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, neurology, orthopedic surgery, pediatrics, podiatry and psychology (postdoctoral and transitional year). The organization also offers three fellowship programs – geriatrics, hematology-oncology and surgical critical care. In 2023, Sanford Health provided training to 145 medical residents in the Fargo region.
Sanford Health proudly partners with Concordia College, Dakota College at Bottineau, Lake Region State College, Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Minnesota State University Moorhead, Minnesota West Community and Technical College, North Dakota State College of Science, North Dakota State University, Rasmussen College, the University of Jamestown and the University of North Dakota to provide education support and clinical hours for nurses in training. In 2023, Sanford Health provided 74,468 group and practicum clinical hours to 1,253 registered nurses in training and 2,134 group clinical hours to 90 licensed practical nurses in training across the Fargo region.
SCHOLARSHIPS AND SPONSORSHIPS
Sanford Health offers various scholarship and sponsorship opportunities in our most needed and high-growth professions. Through partnerships with various schools, financial assistance is provided to help students achieve their education and career goals. In some cases, financial aid is offered in exchange for a student’s work commitment to Sanford Health. As an example, Sanford Health partners with Lake Region State College on their LPN apprenticeship program, which allows students to earn their degree while being paid and gaining on-the-job experience at our facilities.
ASPIRE BY SANFORD
Through Aspire by Sanford , elementary through college-age students have opportunities to explore careers in health care and develop the skills necessary for success in the workforce. With handson learning experiences and mentorship opportunities, the program seeks to inspire the next generation of health care professionals to enter the workforce.
In 2023, Sanford Health impacted 11,245 students through Aspire programming across the Fargo region.
INTERNATIONALLY EDUCATED NURSES
Sanford Health launched its internationally educated nurses (IEN) program in 2021. This program is an innovative solution to health care workforce challenges and has welcomed more than 220 internationally trained and qualified nurses to the Fargo region, with plans to continue hiring 75 more annually.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
As a rural health care system, we understand the unique barriers our communities face in accessing behavioral health care, and we are addressing these issues on multiple fronts to ensure every patient has access to the expert care and support they need, when they need it.
A COMPREHENSIVE TEAM
Our team of more than 100 behavioral health professionals works together to provide a variety of inpatient and outpatient services, including group therapy, parent-child interaction therapy, adolescent and adult partial hospitalization programs, virtual care appointments and more. In addition, Sanford Health ensures non-behavioral health team members across the Fargo region are equipped to identify behavioral health concerns. Specialized education is provided to staff and behavioral health screenings are embedded into the clinic intake process for patients. Together, the entire workforce aims to meet the behavioral health needs of our communities.
BeHEARD
Employees are offered an interactive, virtual Behavioral Health Education Awareness and Response Development (BeHEARD) course created by experts in behavioral health, educational design and evaluation. The course helps participants increase their knowledge, skills and confidence in supporting individuals with a wide range of behavioral health concerns. To further the impact of BeHEARD, Sanford Health recently partnered with First International Bank & Trust to start bringing this training to educators across North Dakota.
EATING DISORDERS & WEIGHT MANAGEMENT CENTER
The Sanford Eating Disorders & Weight Management Center in Fargo provides care for eating disorders and weight loss. To treat eating disorders, our team offers outpatient, inpatient and partial hospitalization programs and tailors each care plan to a patient’s unique needs, understanding that everyone’s triggers and motivations are different. For weight loss, our comprehensive program promotes healthy lifestyles and relationships with food to assist patients in finding long-term, sustainable solutions.
TRAUMATIC STRESS TREATMENT CENTER
The Sanford Traumatic Stress Treatment Center in Fargo offers assessments and treatments to children who have experienced trauma. The treatment center is the only comprehensive medical and behavioral health facility for traumatized children and families in North Dakota.
SELF-SCHEDULING
To increase access to services, Sanford Health now allows patients ages 10 years and older to self-schedule virtual behavioral health appointments without a referral from a primary care provider.
ON-SITE ASSISTANCE WHEN NEEDED
Sanford Health emergency departments are staffed with virtual psychiatrists to ensure patients with emergent behavioral health concerns are triaged quickly. In an emergency, a psychiatrist sees their patient virtually, consults with the on-site provider and recommends appropriate next steps, including transfer to an inpatient behavioral health unit if necessary or discharge home with a safety plan in place.
In addition, integrated health therapists (IHTs) are embedded into primary care clinics and oncology departments. If a patient expresses a need or a provider identifies a patient who would benefit from further assessment, an IHT is on-site to have a conversation immediately, ensuring they leave their appointment with a follow-up plan.
FIRSTLINK PARTNERSHIP
Sanford Health proudly supports FirstLink, a free, confidential service offering 24/7 support, referrals to resources and crisis intervention. We partner with FirstLink to help with referrals and provide funding for their Care and Support Program, which provides emotional support through phone calls, texts and caring cards to those experiencing behavioral health challenges.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BRIDGE
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanford Health and the University of North Dakota partnered to launch the initial phase of the Behavioral Health Bridge, a website filled with mental health resources. The website makes it easy for community members and health care providers to find information about common mental health concerns and resources to support or treat them. Sanford Health continues to leverage the Behavioral Health Bridge to help promote awareness and support those who may be struggling.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Poverty and other social barriers, such as a lack of access to healthy foods, stable housing, transportation, education and employment, are particularly acute in rural areas. At Sanford Health, we are active in the communities we serve and invest substantial resources to drive more opportunities and better health for all.
In 2022, Sanford Health provided significant financial support to over 160 nonprofit organizations serving communities in the Fargo region.
HOMELESSNESS RESOURCES
To support the medical needs of those experiencing homelessness, Sanford Health registered nurses work in homeless shelters and are essential resources for the community case management team. The case management team, nurses and social workers collaborate with nurses in the shelters when homeless patients are preparing to discharge from the hospital.
In the Fargo-Moorhead metro, Sanford Health nurses provide medical care to unhoused individuals at YWCA Cass Clay, New Life Center, Micah’s Mission, Dorothy Day House and Bright Sky supportive housing. Our shelter nurses provide counseling and medical respite for individuals recovering from surgery and assist with wound care, medication management, dietary needs and medical education.
Physician-level care is provided once a month to individuals in the region’s shelters and supportive housing through Sanford Health’s medical resident program. Our fourth-year psychiatric residents also provide care at the YWCA Cass Clay, Michah’s Mission and the downtown engagement center in Fargo.
In 2023, Sanford Health conducted 1,712 one-on-one registered nurse health sessions and 15 residency clinic sessions at YWCA Cass Clay. These sessions helped avert 262 emergency room visits.
COMMUNITY PARAMEDICS
Community paramedics in Fargo provide regular care and checkups to patients who have trouble traveling to receive medical attention. Their services are essential for chronic disease management, medication management, health assessments and more, helping patients stay on top of their care and avoiding the need for emergency transport and services.
ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY
In collaboration with the Great Plains Food Bank, Sanford Health operates wellness pantries in the Fargo-Moorhead area and the rural North Dakota towns of Oakes, Valley City, Hillsboro and Mayville. The latest addition to these efforts came in late 2023 at our Sanford Moorhead Campus. The clinic launched a food box program that offers prepackaged meals for children’s, family medicine and women’s health care patients who screen positive for food insecurity. Food box programs are also available within the women’s health care spaces at Sanford Broadway Medical Center, Sanford Southpointe Clinic and Sanford West Fargo Clinic.
In 2023, the wellness pantry at Sanford Children’s Southwest Clinic in Fargo helped 723 patients and their families.
UNITED WAY OF CASS-CLAY SUPPORT
Sanford Health hosts an annual internal fundraising campaign to benefit the United Way of CassClay and participates in other events to offer support throughout the year, such as their annual school supply drive. As a result, Sanford Health has proudly been named in their Top 50 Generous Workplaces and Top 25 Engaged Workplaces for several years.
TRAINING SITE FOR U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES MEDICS
In 2023, Sanford Health joined the Special Operations Combat Medic program to help train U.S. Army Special Forces medics. As part of their training, soldiers spend three weeks at Sanford Medical Center Fargo gaining hands-on experience with trauma and emergency medicine.
PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES IN NURSING HOMES
Behavioral health disorders are prevalent among older generations, particularly in nursing homes. To make our services more accessible to this population, we have our fourth-year psychiatry residents offer services in Fargo-Moorhead metro nursing homes, including Bethany Retirement Living, Eventide Senior Living and Fargo Elim.
HERO
Sanford Health donates funding, medical supplies and equipment to the Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization (HERO) Cares Program. The program helps provide medical supplies and equipment at lower to no cost for individuals overwhelmed by an accident, illness, insurance or economic circumstances.
RE-ENTRY PROGRAM WITH PENNINGTON COUNTY JAIL
The Sanford Thief River Falls Behavioral Health Center partners with Pennington County Jail to provide a re-entry program for inmates nearing the end of their sentence. This program helps inmates manage stress and develop the necessary skills they need to re-enter society. Since the program started in September 2023, the nurses at the jail have noted a decline in the need for additional behavioral health services from inmates.
COMMUNITY EDUCATION CERTIFICATION CLASSES
Sanford Ambulance provides CPR, first aid, EMS and advanced cardiac care certification classes for child care providers, rural EMS teams, independent health care clinics, skilled nursing facilities and more. These offerings ensure these individuals and organizations have the necessary training they need to operate and provide services within their respective areas.
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND RESOURCES
Our Child Abuse Referral and Evaluation (CARE) Clinic in Fargo is the only clinic in North Dakota with a dedicated team specializing in child maltreatment. This clinic operates in collaboration with the Red River Children’s Advocacy Center to prevent child abuse and diagnose, treat and evaluate children who have unknown injuries or have been abused. In 2023, 487 local children were seen at the CARE Clinic for concerns related to child abuse.
SAFE KIDS FARGO-MOORHEAD
Safe Kids Fargo-Moorhead is led by Sanford Health. The dedicated staff implement evidence-based programs to keep kids safe. Programs include car seat checkups and safety workshops that help parents and caregivers prevent childhood injuries. The Safe Kids Fargo-Moorhead team participates in various community events and has two locations: one inside Sanford Children’s Southwest Clinic and one freestanding at the Sanford Children’s Safety Center in Fargo.
PARENTING AND CAREGIVER CLASSES
Sanford Health offers a variety of educational courses for expectant mothers about what to expect during and after pregnancy. The organization also offers soon-to-be and current parents and grandparents classes on how to teach their baby to use sign language to communicate, keep children safe around pets and more.
PARTNERSHIP WITH FARGO PARK DISTRICT
In 2023, Sanford Health announced its partnership with the Fargo Park District on the Sanford Sports Complex in south Fargo. The complex spans more than 123 acres and is designed to enrich the lives of those in the Fargo community and surrounding region. The indoor facility built on the complex property, the Fargo Parks Sports Center, opened in summer 2024 .
HEALTH EQUITY
Sanford Health is focused on making care more equitable by addressing social determinants of health and working upstream to improve them.
ADDRESSING BIAS IN HEALTH CARE
Sanford Health has identified closing minority health care disparities as a priority. Bias in health care can lead to inequalities in treatment and outcomes. We are actively educating providers on ways to support every patient, particularly those with marginalized identities. Through multiple education opportunities and ongoing professional development, our health care providers are learning to recognize and mitigate biases, ultimately improving care for all patients.
INCLUSIVE CARE
Sanford Health is committed to providing inclusive care. Our fertility experts provide compassionate, high-quality reproductive care that’s appropriate for all gender identities and sexual orientations. They are also proud to help same-sex couples navigate the journey to parenthood.
In addition, our oncologists help our LGBTQ+ patients undergoing cancer treatment receive support and equitable treatment through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a result of these efforts, in 2023, Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center was named a top performer in DE&I-based initiatives by the American Medical Association and Sanford Medical Center Fargo was named a top performer on the 2022 Healthcare Equality Index.
RESOURCES FOR A DIVERSE PATIENT POPULATION
Health guides assist patients, particularly those facing socioeconomic barriers or disparities, in navigating the health care system. In 2021, Sanford Health started working with a group of individuals identified as “rising risk” who had one or two well-managed chronic conditions and co-occurring psychosocial risk factors. By offering personalized support and guidance, health guides help individuals overcome obstacles to care, ensuring they receive timely and appropriate medical attention.
Similarly, Sanford Health’s community health workers offer personalized support that helps patients navigate the health care system and address social factors that affect health outcomes. They connect patients with various resources like Medicaid, translation support and stable housing.
Sanford Health’s Equity in Education scholarship program serves underrepresented and traditionally underserved populations seeking higher education. The scholarship is available to first-generation Americans, first-generation college students and non-traditional students who are at least 25 years old.
MEDICAL RESEARCH
Clinical trials are key to advancing the science of medicine and helping patients quickly benefit from new discoveries. But historically, clinical trial recruitment has been focused in larger urban areas. Sanford Health is proud to pave the way and make these trials and treatments more accessible for rural patients.
ACCESS TO CLINICAL TRIALS CLOSE TO HOME
The Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center is proud to be a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) site, which gives our patients access to state-of-the-art clinical trials close to home. Our program typically has between 80 to 100 clinical trials open across most cancer types.
In addition, our pediatric oncology program in Fargo is part of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), an NCI supported clinical trials group devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research. As a COG site, we are able to offer our pediatric patients access to the latest clinical trials and treatments tailored to their unique cancer types.
Sanford Health is also a participant in the NCI’s Connect for Cancer Prevention study. This nationwide study looks to identify how certain factors like geographical location or occupation may lead to a cancer diagnosis in healthy individuals later in life. Individuals in the Midwest are often exposed to potentially harmful carcinogens that are unique to rural populations, so this study will help us better understand the risk factors in our region.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESEARCH
The Sanford Center for Biobehavioral Research in Fargo is a clinical research and education facility with a particular focus on eating disorders, bariatric surgery, child traumatic stress and mental health care delivery in rural settings. The research team also conducts various behavioral health trauma research and proudly partners with state and national entities for funding. Through trauma research, education and training across North Dakota, our team aims to increase access to evidence-based treatments for children and their families.
PEDIATRICS AND RARE DISEASE RESOURCES
Sanford Health’s Population Level Estimate of type 1 Diabetes risk Genes in children (PLEDGE ) study works to screen and identify children at risk of developing type 1 diabetes or celiac disease. First launched in 2020, the program provides education, ongoing monitoring and appropriate early intervention to prevent serious illness for children with risk markers. We offer the study in over 126 clinics and have screened over 8,500 patients to date across the Sanford Health footprint.
Sanford Research launched the Coordination of Rare Diseases at Sanford (CoRDS) platform to further connect rare disease patients and researchers. CoRDS provides a secure online space for patients with rare diseases to share their experiences and medical histories. They can also find support, connect with others facing similar challenges and contribute to scientific advancements. In addition, the platform enables researchers to access a diverse pool of patient data, accelerating rare disease collaboration, research and treatment development.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE FARGO REGION
Making our communities stronger and healthier is at the core of everything we do at Sanford Health.
To learn more about our community involvement, please visit sanfordhealth.org/about/community-commitment
As caregivers, we believe that it is not only our duty but also our calling to partner with our communities to help find solutions to the social and economic barriers that hold people back from living their best, healthiest lives.
